By Peter Ochieng
Amidst the biting doctors strike which is well beyond the 50-day mark, thousands of residents of Kisumu Central Constituency and beyond have benefited from free medical camps organised by area MP, Dr Joshua Odongo Oron.
Doctors started their industrial action on 14th March, to push for among others, implementation of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The lack of doctors in public hospitals has hampered the delivery of medical services, with Kenyans who can’t afford medication in private hospitals choosing to suffer in silence, in their homes.
Erick Nyagweno, the Kisumu Central Constituency Liaison Officer in an exclusive interview with Nairobi Review at the Obunga Sports grounds said the medical camps which have been on in various parts of the constituency since Monday, were occassioned by the doctors strike.
“Doctors are on strike and people have got nowhere to be treated. We saw it better to bring all those doctors from different places to assist our people,” said Nyagweno.
On Monday, he said they pitched camp at Nyalenda B and Market Milimani wards, before the bandwagon moved to Kondele and Kaloleni Shaurimoyo wards on Tuesday.
Railways and Migosi wards completed the lineup today, with at least 2,000 people turning up for medical checkups and treatment on each day.
The camps were backed up by medical practitioners from Port Florance Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Innovation Eye Centre, Royal Dental Clinic, Kisii Eye Hospital and the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) among other partners.
Nyagweno said dental, eye, cervical cancer screening and family planning services were being offered, with refferals also taking place.
“People should not worry, once you have been reffered your treatment will continue,” he stated.
Linda Dorcas Achieng was one of the beneficiaries. She said she had to go to Obunga Sports Complex for a medical checkup after her leg started itching.
“I have been treated and given tablets,” she said. She was accompanied by her daughter who had a tooth issue.
The daughter was given a refferal to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Refferal Hospital (JOOTRH).
Nelson Ouma Onyango from Manyatta had malaria. He said he was nicely attended to. “I am now relieved. I was suffering in the house because of the doctors strike.”
Nyagweno approximated that over Sh35 million was used to make the camps a success.
